Summit County fishing report

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Editor's note: Dave Coulson is the Colorado state editor for FishExplorer.com. He contributes a weekly fishing report to the Summit Daily News. For more local and regional fishing information, visit www.fishexplorer.com.

When it comes to fishing, the only constant is things constantly change. The recent snows have resulted in slushy conditions on many waters, but the ice remains thick on mountain waters. Only along the Front Range were there many open waters, and most of those have skimmed back over, making for the worst situation: no open water to fish, not enough ice to fish.

Closer to home, Dillon action has picked back up around the inlet areas. While the numbers are high, sizes have been mostly less than 12 inches. For larger fish, consider spending time on the river below the dam, where winter action remains steady for those with the patience to work small black midges on fine tippets.

South Park is producing a few fish, but action is far from hot. Finding fish is further complicated by the 20-plus inches of ice. Without a power auger, few are willing to drill the large numbers of holes necessary to find a hot spot. That's especially important at Antero and Tarryall, where locating a weed edge can make the difference between an occasional fish or lots of action.

Granby continues to report solid action for lake trout. While the numbers are slowing, it's still worth the trip, and there is always a chance of a 30-plus-inch fish. Most are fishing waters from 30 to 60 feet. And not surprisingly, except for those with snowmobiles, most are working areas within walking distance of the three dikes.